Lightning Never Strikes Twice
Continuing our Fact or Fable series, today we take a look at the saying ‘Lightning never strikes twice’, with our Science Editor Samantha Gouldson investigating.
Lightning forms when excess amounts of positive and negative electric charge build up in storm clouds. This causes sparks, kind of like static electricity. Sometimes the sparks jump between the clouds but often they jump between the clouds and the ground.
It’s not just thunderstorms that have lightning either; snow storms, sand storms and even the clouds produced by erupting volcanoes can all cause lightning.
The idea that lightning doesn’t strike twice is a popular saying but one that it’s easy to disprove.
Green and Growing: The Life of a Seed
As you know, there is a vast number of different kinds of plants growing all over the world, from snowy slopes to Amazon rain forests to dusty deserts: plant life is everywhere. So how does it all work? Lets start with seeds.
The Life of a Seed
Picture a seed – I am sure you have all seen them. It will have a hard outer shell to protect it. When it has found the right conditions of warmth and moisture, this shell will crack or split as a root pushes its way out to take hold in the soil. Then the plant will start to grow and a shoot will make its way upwards, with the root growing down, to draw moisture from the ground and provide some balance for the plant, keeping it firm in its place.
Just like you and me, plants need food to grow. Their food is very different from ours, of course! Here’s what they do: the leaves draw water up from the roots, through the stem, and they also soak up sunlight and air. These three things combine to make food in the leaves, where it is stored. Now think of an onion. It is formed to store the food for the plant.
Have you ever wondered…why leaves change colour in autumn?
Autumn is a season of change; the weather gets colder, there’s less daylight and leaves change colour and fall from plants. But why does this happen?
Why Do Plants Have Leaves?
Leaves contain a chemical called chlorophyll (pronounced KLO-ro-fil), which as well as giving them their lovely green colour also helps create food for the plant. The leaves act like tiny solar panels, and use the sun’s energy to convert water (from the ground) and a gas called carbon dioxide (from the air) into sugar and oxygen. This process is called photosynthesis (pronounced foto-SIN-theh-sis), and the sugar is what the plant lives on.
Geeky Accessories for Girls and Boys
Here at Jump!Mag we can get pretty geeky – and we’re proud of it too! We love wearing things that show people what our interests are, whether that’s books, superheroes or Doctor Who. Read on to find out about our ten favourite accessories to help you express your inner (or outer!) geek.
We all hate Professor Umbridge and how she treated Harry. Now you can freak out your mum and your friends with this temporary tattoo from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (#1). And for those of you who like wearing clothes inspired by your fave books, try this lovely Very Hungry Caterpillar rucksack from Asda (#3), or scare away snakes, foxes and owls with these Gruffalo slippers (#2) – complete with purple spikes and the wart on the end of his nose!
If you’re a comic book lover, you’re spoilt for choice! We love this Batman umbrella from M&S (#4) and this Spiderman water bottle rocks (#7). (Ignore the ‘for boys’ and ‘for girls’, and just get what YOU like.) Sport your favourite superhero on your iPhone with a comic book phone cover like this one from Louby Kapow (#5) – made from real comics! – or go for Thor-inspired shoes with these ace lightning shoelace attachments from Tesco (#6).